The Brilliant Baker
by TheCobaltSky
Summary: Fall 1922: The events after Jordan and Nick's breakup as well as the flashbacks during and before The Great Gatbsy. Gatsby is dead and The Buchanans go eastward to Paris, France for the remainder of the fall/winter. Nick moves back home to the midwest, and Jordan left alone in New York reflects on her life then and now. Jordan/Daisy (Angst/slow build) Canon and Non-Canon Events


The ride to the Buchanan Estate is a long and dark one. For Jordan Baker, though it seemed to suit her just fine. The long ride there gave her a chance to prepare herself, and the darkness…is just how she is feeling now in this moment in time.

…After everything that has happened. The long and dark suits her mood just fine.

She pays the cab driver a more than enough generous fare for the ride up, and tells him to come back in an hour or two. He quickly pockets the extra 20s, then places his actual work fare in a safebox under his seat as he drives off to god only knows where for an hour.

The ride to East Egg from The City is a beautiful one, if not a little pricey even for Ms. Baker's taste. But this one ride right here was all that she would ever take, and ever need. Because after tonight she will never come here or think of this place ever again.

Jordan lets out a breath of air she didn't know she was holding in, as she turned around facing the darkness of The Buchanan Estate.

The Estate was dark, empty, lonely, and abandoned. The Mansion's former residents are somewhere in Paris probably having their new estate renovated and decorated at this time.

Afterall isn't it daylight there now? The darkness of the western hemisphere night enshrouds Jordan. Her only source of light is the mournful yellow moon and the twinkle of soft stars that you don't see in the city at night.

The green light on the bay blinks every couple of seconds and flashes on her and she turns to glance at the sad light. Jordan sees the even darker and emptier castle-like mansion that once belong to Jay Gatsby across the still waters of the bay.

She feels like 'Monkey in the middle'. Standing between The Gatsby Mansion and The Buchanan Estate. It is strange to her that the only thought that came first to her mind was…

…everyone deserved better.

Jordan makes her slow stroll to the dock near the bay and leans her tall, slender frame against the wooden rail. The chill in the air tonight was very biting, winter is around the corner after all and another year almost over.

Jordan Baker maybe a lot of things and a lot of names, and definitions as far Nick Carraway was concerned. He made that clear at the end of the summer and at the turning of the fall. The seasons changed drastically this year as well as the people and influences of the people with it. However cynical she maybe,she smirks in thinking that may never cease to be that the world and the ideals of others matter little to her. That was the 'old her' she thinks.

She may never change for better or for worst, but beacuse of Nick and his dumb but charming 'optimism' she needed…no...wanted to be better. Better for herself, and for him even though for Nick, it was a little too late.

Nick Carraway came to New York City with a heart of gold, wearing it on his sleeve. Never before seeing the worst in life the worst in people until now. His own life has been one positive dream of thinking after the other, possibly never had a rain to shower on his parade.

A lifetime of purity that only took one summer and three careless people to taint that, possibly forever.

Nick left New York a broken man, a hollow shell of who he once was, Jordan will never forgive herself of that. She called off her engagement the one she told Nick about that made him feel more used and worthless. In a way he may never realized, he truly did mean something to her. A 'something' that seems to come once in a lifetime.

…he deserved better.

As did Gatsby, who only wanted to once again win the heart of the girl whom he fell in live with back in Kentucky so many years ago.

Daisy changed from that time on up until her marriaged to Tom and suddenly she became the self-absorbed, careless, and shallow modern women of the 20s.

Jordan knew in a way she was no different than her friend Daisy. Daisy placed material things over true love. With Tom she had everything old money could buy and more even though she knew about his affairs she still stayed with him and why?

Gatsby was never and could never be 'Them'.  
All his money in the world would never put him into their soical class. They were born with it and Gatsby,he strived his whole life for it. But Daisy felt safe with Tom, with the comfort and protection that his money and power brought.

So in a way it made sense that Gatsby and Daisy's fairytale romance was only that…a fairytale. A fairytale romance stuck in a moment of time lost in the past.

The cool bay wind caressed Jordan's fair skin even in the night she seemed pale and cold. Pale and Cold two words that seemed to fit her perfectly. A few rounds of golf next spring will help if nothing else to bring color back into her life, her soul now so empty and meaningless.

She thinks back to the summer and after the summer again.

…In a way she deserved better herself. Afterall she came before Gatsby and Tom, and at one point was the sun in Daisy Fay's universe. But that was sometime ago, a time ago that felt like just yesterday to Jordan Baker.

Jordan walked away from the dock and made her way along the shoreline this walk should do her mind some good. There's a lot to reflect on in this moment.

Flashback to when she turned twelve-years old. In that same year she'd come to realize two things: one was she'd found a new passion in the sport of golf, and two she'd found her first crush inside the heart of a bubbly blonde ten-year old girl next door.

That year after Jordan finally found the courage and gave Daisy her first kiss. It was innocent and sweet. It made Daisy turn pinker and brought a smile to Jordan's face.

The two girls were hidden behind a large oak tree in Daisy's exotic garden. Daisy tried to return the kiss but their height difference made that impossible. So while sweet Daisy had her eyes shut tight, standing on the tip of her toes, and lips puckered out, the taller Jordan leaned down slightly to capture soft lips against her own. They pulled away moments afterwards blushing a new shade of pink possibly never even seen before.

"I love you and your kisses, Jordan, they're sweet like candy!"

Jordan took young Daisy's childish words to heart. She also loved the way Daisy gazed back up at her with eyes sparkling like stars. So whenever they could they would sneak off from their mothers having tea and share sweet kisses for that whole summer.

They were the best of friends, and hopefully one day they could be something more. Back then Jordan had hope, she was ever optimistic as Nick once was.

The good times never last as long as they should though.

Jordan recalls that a time when Daisy was drifting from her. In truth they were both drifting apart. As they grew older Jordan and Daisy were like night and day.

Daisy preferred dresses while Jordan preferred trousers. Daisy was a debutante, Jordan was a golfer and by that time Daisy found friendship in other young girls like her. She also found herself with a string of locals boys following her around like love-sick puppies.

At that time the only thing Jordan had was her golf and her golf instructor.

"Just ignore them Jordan. Straighten your back more! Good now swing!"

Everything was right from posture to her swing and aim but when she heard the loud laughs of Daisy and her group of minions her concentration broke in less than a second.

Jordan misses the little white ball on the peg below.

Its been months since she'd last done that. Her instructor a good teacher but stern man turned up his nose and shook his head. Its taken her almost a year just to get one positive approval from him.

Jordan glared at the other girls in the next yard. Some were mocking her swings trying to get a smile out of Daisy. Its been almost a whole summer and the two friends hadn't spoken in that time…not once.

Though there was Daisy now her hair longer and fuller than ever, her curves grow with each day as she gets more prettier than the day before. The beautiful blonde meets Jordan's eyes and blows her an air kiss before leaving with her friends to go inside and escape from the Kentucky summer heat.

"Girlfriend of yours, Jordan? The blonde?"

Her instructor was leaning casually against his golf club while looking at the exchange between her and Daisy.

"N-no, she isn't. We used to be friends thats all." Friends who on more than occasion kiss one another.

"Relax. I have a son whom you could say is…'Fancy' but I have no shame of him. I just wished he'd pick up a golf club and not a darn tube of lipstick…oh never mind in a way Jordan your like the daughter of the son that I've always wanted."

The biggest smile grew on her face that day.

Jordan's flashback like trance was broken as the headlights of her taxi pulled up the long drive, almost blinding her in the process. She never truly realized how fast times flies…literally. Life is too short for mistakes, regrets, and doubts. Life is too short for the broken and broken-hearted to at least not to try again. Begin again, maybe life gets better a second time around, at least you'll know what to expect and avoid the bad outcomes.

"Hey doll you ready to go?" Jordan slips back into the warmth of the taxi. "Where to next then?"

"Take me back to the city, and I will need to make a stop at my relative's for my belongings, then on to the nearest airport. "

Maybe going to Paris and seeking out Daisy isn't a good idea, and maybe Jordan just doesn't care, but somethings just has to be done regardless. Regardless of the fear of the consequence.

Either way its too late and here stands Jordan outside a café shoppe waiting for a cab in the heart of Paris, France.

She looks over the small pink slip of floral printed paper that Daisy left her. It had the new address and contact number for the Buchanan's getaway french villa. Jordan didn't bother calling ahead to let them know she was on her way.

If there was one thing she truly knew about Daisy is that she loves surprises.


End file.
